The Dragon Warriors
by SilverFinch13
Summary: The legend of the Dragonborn was predicted hundreds of years ago, but it never said who it would be and how they were to complete their destiny. In this story I shall tell you how.
1. Chapter 1

The dragon warriors.

The legend of the dragonborn was predicted hundred of years ago but it never said who it would be and how they were to compete their destiny. In this story I shall tell you how.

Chapter 1. Arrival

Bound in ropes on a horse and cart is how I was welcomed to Skyrim. The cart shook violently with each bump and stone the wheels creaked over. The hard cold bench was nothing compared to the air and landscape, dull grey sky threatening rain, the trees grew thick and I could see not much of anything else, not that I wanted to look around that is. I kept my eyes fixed down and listened to the other prisoners around me.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." Said a rugged blonde Nord sat opposite me, he had dirty blonde hair that fell to his shoulders, a single braid fell on his face that looked worn and tired, he was talking to another Nord sat to my left. Both men looked worse for wear.

"Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along, the empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell. You there. You and me - we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." A filthy brown-haired, short Nord grumbled, he had tanned skin and a thin frame, his greasy dirty brown hair was pushed back from his face, he also looked tired and beaten.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The first blond Nord said a little too proudly, clearly full of this Nordic pride the are rumored to have.

An Imperial Soldier in front of us yelled "Shut up back there!"

The men fell silent so I took a moment to look at all of us on the carriage. There where six of us in total. In front of me where 3 men, two Nords one blond and in army uniform sporting a blue colour, what I presume to be the Stormcloaks armor, and a brown-haired Nord (the filthy one) dressed in rags, and to the end and much to my surprize sat tall a high elf. He was hauntingly quite and observing us all, he was bound like us and clearly been beaten bad, I wonder why he was here.

Now turning my attention to the other men. I was sat in between two Nords. The man to my left was a young man, he had a cocky grin and a bloody nose, his hair was blonde but it was a dark dirty colour with strips of lighter blonde running through.

But the man to my right was something else, blonde haired Nord with braids in his hair, he wore fine clothes of a noble and held the air of power to him a leader would. But the strangest thing was he was gagged and as far as I could see he was the only one to be.

The filthy thief noticed me staring at the noble and he piped up "And what's wrong with him, huh?" Nodding his head at the nobles direction,

"Watch your tongue. You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King." The Stormcloak spat out, full of pride.

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they've captured you... Oh gods, where are they taking us?" The thief panicked, eyes darting around looking like a scared animal.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits." The stormcloak murmured more to himself.

"No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening." The thief now fidgeting in his bindings, looking for an escape.

"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" The man to my left asked.

"Why do you care?" The thief spat clearly still struggling to get out of his bindings.

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." The Stormcloak solemnly said understanding the distraction.

"Rorikstead. I'm... I'm from Rorikstead." The thief finally said, clearly giving up his struggle.

The entire time this distraction commenced the carriage kept rolling down the hill, towards our destination. A small town with high walls and a big gate.

The gate slowly opened with two soldiers pushing hard, as it swung and creaked it revealed a stone built town. The stone road gave way to a dirt track that kicked up dust into the air as we traveled over it.

The houses in this village where of a typical Nordic design, that being 1 of 2 stories high with a thatched roof. From what I could tell the town used to be a military post due to having a few stone towers and a few watch posts.

An Imperial Soldier a head of us saluted and yelled "General Tullius, sir. The headsman is waiting"

"Good. Let's get this over with!" A grey haired Imperial in a high-ranking officer uniform replied, he sounded tired and looked it too. This must be General Tullius.

I got distracted from my thoughts to listening the thief's panicked prayer "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me."

"Divines wont help you now, better save you breath" the Nord to my left added.

An angry grunt came from the Stormcloak in front of me followed by loud mutterings "Look at him. General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this." Shifting his gaze to the elf on the cart, glare met with glare and then the elf shifted his angry glare to the other stormcloak, Jarl Ulfric. The men must have sat like that all the journey, strange way to spend your last moments alive, but who am I to judge.

I stopped listening to the stormcloak ramble on about the town we are in, Helgen and something about mead with Juniper berries mixed in, and took in the last time I could see the sky, the clouds gave way to the sun and I could see a grey/blue sky, though with the sun shining down it still felt bitterly cold. It is strange being so calm before the end, I still have life in me so why was I not fighting, maybe I am too tired to, tired of fighting, of running, of living with fear. Maybe this is why I am calm.

The thief's panic rose up again "Why are we stopping?" As on cue the carriage halted.

"Why do you think. End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us." The Stormcloak replied standing up

"No! Wait! We're not rebels!" The thief jumped up.

"Face your death with some courage, thief." The Stormcloak spat out clearly annoyed by the thief

"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!"

I thought I heard the elf in front make a sarcastic chuckle to himself as he walked off the cart.

Names where being called to line up in front of the headmans block. "The empire love their damn lists" the Stormcloak behind me muttered to my ear as he leaned close while we waited for our names to be called

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm", the man lined up in a courtyard directed by soldiers and other names were called. "Ralof of Riverwood, Gunjar, Davron, Lokir of Rorikstead,"

When his name is called "No, I'm not a rebel. You can't do this!" Panic took over and he ran.

An Imperial Captain in front of us yells "Halt!" She tried to sound authoritative, but it just sounded like a child pretending.

Lokir screamed wildly, still madly running the way we came up "You're not going to kill me!" The Imperial Captain screamed "Archers!" And that's when I noticed them 8 Imperial archers with long bows, without another order they raised their bows and fired, each arrow sunk into Lokir's body and the man fell, body limp and life gone.

Without another word the guard carried on reading names out till only the elf and I was left. The guard questioned him. "Name, age and reason for imprisonment"

I took this moment to study the elf in question, he was tall, I mean I have heard that the Altmer where tall but he towered over even the tallest elf I have ever seen. From what I could see he was lean and his skin was a pale gold, but his hair was strikingly black, like midnight, his hair was short, it looked messy over his face and in need of a comb back. His sharp features with high cheek bones and strong jaw line was softened by his honey eyes, they looked like they could read your soul and hold every secret.

"Mithra, 29 and the reason for my imprisonment is because I have been mistaken for a spy when I am simply passing through." His voice was calm and deep, it had an accent I couldn't place and he was well spoken.

His back straightened as he was told he was to executed like the others and sent to join them by the block. He complied but I could see the faint glow of a spell on his fingers working at the ropes.

"And who are you?" questioned an imperial scout, he was the one reading the names off the list and now adding more of them, the Imperials liked their lists.

"Elyzabyth, sir... I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." I tried to sound as innocent as I could.

"Breton eh, bit far from high rock aren't you?"

My glare shut him up as I turned to make my way to the block.

As I joined the other prisoners the man named Tullius was yelling into Ulfrics face, " Ulfric Stormcloak, some here in Helgen call you a hero, But a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder the high king of Skyrim. You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace." When he finished his rant at the gagged man. A strange noise filled the air, a roar, but not from any beast I have heard before. No something much more terrifying, the roar rumbled down the hills and filled my ears even though it must have been far away.

With hairs standing on the back of my neck, and the others looking to the sky, "what was that?" Questioned the imperial scout.

"Its nothing carry on!" General Tullius said as he walked to his place beside the captain. " yes general Tullius" she saluted, looking a bit ridiculous. As she turned she spoke to a priestess " give then their last rights" she ordered

The priestess started a prayer "As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessing of the eight divines upon you..."

Not wanting to hear anymore one of the Stormcloaks yelled "oh for the love of Talos, shut up and lets just get this over with shall we" and he marched himself bravely to the block.

Ten the scene unfolded before me, the captain kicking the nord down to the block, his head was turned to face the headsman, the said headsman raised his heavy axe above his head, and then after a moment's pause the axe came crashing down on the Stormcloaks neck. His head came cleanly off as blood poured down as his head rolled in a basket. His body was being dragged away.

"Next prisoner, the male Nord in rags" yelled the Captain yelled.

Then that noise again, an unnatural roar, it filled the air and came down from the sky's. It sounds closer than the first time.

"Captain, there's that noise again, did you hear that?" The Imperial scout said.

Clearly not enjoying the distraction and feeling like she has to be in control of the situation the captain practically screamed, "I said the next prisoner!"

Then cocky Nord brushed past me heading towards his fate,

"Nice and easy, to the block Davron" a blown haired imperial scout ushered.

Dropping to his knees the nord lay head on the blood covered block. A silent prayer escaping his lips.

The headmans axe raised and the air fell silent. I looked up to the sky not able to watch anymore, my heart stopped, a great black monster swooped down from the clouds and crashed down on the tower behind the headman, saying I was stunned is a understatement. As I said the monster was huge bigger than the tower it sat on, with shiny black scales, it had two massive wings and while I wondered what it was the screams of others saying "Dragon!" Answered any questions.

Before I could think of what to do this dragon opened its jaws and yelled this strange sound, the sky's grew dark and thunder rumbled, another shout and all were knocked to the floor by a hard invisible force. Panic hit me as I tried to stand fire crashed to the ground shaking it violently. Then two large hands grabbed my arms and I was lifted from the ground and carried to a stone building people where fleeing too.


	2. Chapter 2- to the keep

Chapter 2. Escape

Though in a well built stone tower the chaos from outside still seemed too close. I shut my eyes for a second as the stranger who carried me in set me down, I was still held close as I could feel my arms finally being untied. The relief was overwhelming but I didn't have a second to stop, as I heard the doors behind us close, I turned to see some Stormcloaks fall in. Ulfric survived and so did Ralof. The cocky Nord Davron was also in, thankfully still with a head.

"Can the legends really be true, was that really a dragon?" Panted Ralof directing his question to the now unbonded and gag free Ulfric.

In a serious and darker tone the Stormcloak leader spoke with a deep tone "Legends don't burn down villages"

A thundering roar and a crash that shook the walls came from outside, a reminder that this was no legend but a very real and terrifying danger.

"Up through the tower, we need to move now!"

And with out another word we ran up behind Davron, up the spiraling stairs, my legs strained against the stone steps, heart racing as we make it to the next floor up, A Stormcloak was already there and when seeing our approach he called out "I think I found our escape, help me move a few of these stones." But before we could take a step to help the walls exploded inwards with the great dragons head pushing in, frozen in fear and looking straight into its glowing red eyes, I could barely comprehend its thundering voice " Tul, Shul" and fire erupted out of its words and engulfed the first floor. Davron ducked down and I followed suit. Once the flames dissipated we stood backup, the dragon was gone although the burning heat of the fire lingered as a reminder of the dragon, not like we needed any reminders that is, two hand placed on my shoulders, and with a glance I could see the golden long fingers squeeze tight into me, a reassurance, a push forward, the smell of burnt flesh hit me and I saw Davron in front raise his hand to his face to hide his gagging. Golden daylight shone in from the hole in the wall. Ralof charged past us and looked down into the battle, "quick jump down into that building over there"

With out another breath I saw the still bound Davron jump out of the hole and down, I rushed forward to see where he landed and if he was okay. Thankfully he got up and looked up to me with an over sized grin, I finally let go of the breath I didn't realise I was holding.

"Go on its your turn." Ralof looked at me expectantly. And that drop down looked all that more bigger and not so easy. I looked down, I had to be quick I couldn't see the dragon, but I had to be careful in my landing. With a glance behind me at Mithra he gave me a small nod and I turned and jumped, my plan was to hit the broken beam and then jump down to the floor of the building. To my surprise it went to plan, I landed feet first onto the beam then leapt off as I felt the wood crack under my feet, I did a roll and came to a standing. I look up to see Mithra do a similar jump but instead of going near the beam he opted to land straight on the floor. The three of us look at each other and then with out a word we race forward and jump off the second floor of the broken building and onto the dusty floor of outside, as we move forward the dragon crashes onto the ground and the earth trembles under us. Davron falls to the floor and Mithra and I grab him and drag him quickly to cover next to a villager and an Imperial scout. "Haming this way lad quickly!" The boy who was right infront of the dragon in the road with his injured father, he races to us and ducks under just in time for the dragon to shout more fiery words. The flames ingulf the man on the floor. The dragon satisfied the man was dead beat its great wings and flew up to find its next victims. "Gunnar, take care of the boy I must find General Tullius and assist in the defense, you there prisoners follow me if you wish to survive." And he ran out of cover past the charred remains, with Mithra now leading we ran with the Imperial down past some buildings and when where in an ally between the town wall and whatever was left of a building "stay close to the wall!" But the words where drowned out by the dragon landing on top of the wall and letting out another fiery breath. We crouched down below the dragon, it seemed completely unaware that we where there or we would have been easily killed. It flew up once again and we kept running, through the burning ashes of a house and past some archers shooting blindly into the sky. I could hear soldiers crys and pleas, but they seemed far away as we ran forward, "to the keep, we are retreating" and that's where we headed under a stone bridge of the wall and into a courtyard.

"Ralof! You damned traitor. Out of my way!" Hadvar yells. On cue both men draw swords and stop waiting for the next move.

"We're escaping, Hadvar. You're not stopping us this time." And Ralof sheaths his axe and charges past us toward a door in the keep.

"Fine. I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde." And he putting his sword away runs to a different door.

Both soldiers look at us stood in the courtyard and beckon us to follow one or the other. And the three of us look at each other. I see Davron looks uneasy, eyes darting to the shy then back at me and a rather displeased Mithra.

Our choice is clear and we are not going to split up, with a nod we move forward and towards the keep.


	3. Chapter 3 In the keep

Chapter 3. In the keep.

I charged forward in the direction of the Imperial, while Mithra and Davron sprinted to the right towards the Stormcloak. Mithra was faster than Davron and reached the solider first, with out a word he grabbed Ralof by the arm and was pulling the suprized Nord in seconds.

"Wha... let go of me elf!"

"Come, we need... numbers if we... are going survive.. the dragon" Panted Davron as he pushed Ralof with his shoulder in the direction of Hadvar. We should really untie the poor man. "Fine" Ralof Mumbled and shrugged off Mithra but without another complaint followed towards the Imperial.

Meanwhile I had reached Hadvar, "we need all the men we can get if we want to live, put aside your hate and past and just keep going for tomorrow" I say as I push him into the door and into safety. He didn't argue, he didn't have chance too, but you could see in his face that he didn't want to agree. I held open the door for the others, I could see the dragon hovering above the other side of the village. Now getting a good look at the monster, I could see just how large it was, its body was bigger than the Imperial guard towers, its huge black wings beat hard and caused gusts of winds that would drive the flames from its words to rage on. What a mess, what chaos and death this monster has made in minutes, it was barely comprehensible.

As the others crash in I slammed the door shut behind me, not wishing to see anymore, we entered what must be the sleeping quarters of the keep, in the large room to the left there's 8 beds with a chest and bedside table for each, with plenty of room to spare around, at the back of the room is a table with plates and cups sat empty, and to the right is a weapon and armor store with swords and axes lining the wall. The room its self was dimly lit with a few torches hung on the walls, and it was quite, sure the dragons rampage could be heard but it was a far away rumble. For a moment I felt safe and a fear weighing on me lifted slightly. You could see on everyone an uneasy relief swept over. Hadvar was sitting on the closest bed leaning into his hands, Ralof moved to sit beside the man. Mithra was working on Davrons' bound arms with a dagger he found on a table and I made my way to the back of the room, my legs where heavy but I know there is still a long way to go yet.

Finally Davron spoke and broke the silence, "Hadvar, is there another way out? I don't know how anyone else feels but I want to get as far away from that Dragon as possible. "

Ralof nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, through that door, we might want to grab some supplies, armor and weapons though, not safe yet" and he gestured to the door near me. Ralof moved off the bed and reached out his hand to help Hadvar up. "Just till Riverwood, okay?" Hadvar nodded at the other man and took his hand, a silent acceptance.

Once that little show was over, we all got to work grabbing swords and axes, I took an iron dagger and sword, Mithra did the same but Davron picked up a two handed sword, a one handed sword and a dagger. He had a big grin but tried to shrug nonchalantly, "best to be prepared"

Ralof laughed a clapped his hand around the young boys back causing him to jolt forward but continue to grin.

Then one by one we looked to the door we first came though, screams and shouts could be heard as the awful monster continued its rampage, I couldn't help but to think how many others will survive or how little would. I felt heavy and tired, but with a gentle hand pulling to our escape I moved my legs. Hadvar looked back to us and with a nod pushed the wooden door.

_:Author note: just a small chapter to get back into writing. sorry for the delay and any mistakes._


	4. Chapter 4- in the keep, part 2

p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Chapter 4, in the keep part 2./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"As the door swung open I let out the breath I was holding and lowered my hand from the hilt of my sword. I don't know what I was expecting, but I didn't expect there to be nothing infront of us. I realised i wasn't the only one when i saw a dim red flame disappear from Mithras hands, i look up to his eyes and he just looks down to me with a small smile playing on the corner of his lips, in knowing. br /"Right okay, Davron and i will lead, Ralof you in the middle and Elyzabyth and the, erm, Mithra up behind. Stay close and lets move." Hadvar commanded the orders to us and with little complaint we all followed, well Ralof did mumble and grumble under his breath. We, in the order Hadvar wanted, walked through a corridor, with the Imperial flags lining the stone walls, the stone not covered was dark and damp adding a glistening glow from the lite torches to the atmosphere, as we banked right towards another metal grated door, this door seemed to be a pull chain unlocking mechanism that would make the door raise up. Before Hadvar pulled the large chain on the wall I stopped him and whispered to the group "I hear voices, sounds like two people in there."br /"Could be friendly" Davron sounded hopeful, "or they could try to kill us, it is that sort of day isn't it!"br /"Did they say Gunjar? I think they are part of the Stormcloaks, i'll go first and talk some sense into them" and with that Ralof pushed past and pulled the chain, the metal door groaned and lifted up to reveal two battered Stormcloaks and a dead one to the /"Ralof your alive, what happene to..?" The young female nord spoke up but cut short when she saw the rest of /"Traitor, sided with the Imperials have you" and with that both soliders drawed their swords and paced /"No, wait, guys its not like that!" Ralof tried to say with his hands up for defence. He just about side stepped the first swing of a sword before Mithra let loose a fire spell that engulfed and quickly killed the attackers./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""Ergk, i think i might just be getting use to the smell of burnt flesh, or not" Davron heaved slightly as he stepped round the burning corpses, I shrugged and followed Davron with Mithra and Hadvar behind. "Ah here is the next door" and with a quick push Davron swung the door /"Ralof? Are you coming?" Hadvar sounded concerned as his brows knitted together. He was looking back at the Blonde Nord, Ralof was stood still looking down at his fallen comrades, he looked like he was in shock but still angry. "They, they didn't have to die. I, i could have talked them around, but.."br /"But now they are dead and we are going to keep moving, are you just going to stand there or follow us?" Mithra was calm and kept his face nutural, as he turned to walk down the next corridor. "And no you don't have to like it." He finished before Ralof had a chance to spew out some sort of insult. I decide to look at the path ahead, again a narrow stone corredor with damp dripping down the walls, whats wrong with this place and its damp problem? Anyway just a few metres a head there where a set of stairs decending down in a left sweep, it looked poorly lite but any light reflected off the wet walls and added a dull gloom to the corridor./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"br /Now with Mithra leading the pace quicked as he effortlessly decended the stairs three at a time. The three nords kept up with the elf following one behind the other. Ralof was last in the trio and i noted he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as if he was going to draw it any second. I stuggled to keep up with the men as my short legs could only go down one step at a time I tried to jog down to keep up but, soon losing sight of the men i slowed my pace not wanting to tire myself out./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"As i rounded the last of the sweep and down the final steps I saw the others had stopped to wait for me. I didn't expect them to wait, but seeing that they had was a relief I never felt before./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""There you are!" Hadvar said with a /"See Mithra we dont have to send a search party" Davron laughed as he slapped Mithra's arm in a /With that Hadvar and Davron laughed and took the lead through another doorway leading to the right. I stayed to the back of the group and Mithra walked beside. Ralof was in the middle of the pack, he looked /We didn't go five paces till the ground started rumbling and shook violently so we all stumbled down. In a second the roof in front of us crumbled and crashed heavily down barely metres away from us. The sounds of the dragon filled the corridors as its frightful roars echoed through us. Then it went quiet, besides the gentle crumbles of rubble settling down, even our breaths where quiet, as we all stayed down close to the floor, tense and paused in waiting. When a few minutes had pased (though it felt more like hours) and there was no sign of the dragon bursting though the ceiling at us we quietly stood /Shakily Hadvar broke the silence "that creature wont give up, will it?"br /"No, did it block the path, or does that door lead somewhere?" Ralof pointed to a half buried door to the /Davron pushed past "well there is only one to find out" he said as he stepped around some fallen rubble and pushed the door in question open./p  
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"The door opened to reveal a lagre empty rectangular room with a half partition in the /"Where in the kitchens and store rooms, 'spose it would be smart to pick up anything useful while we are here" Hadvar /Without another word we all split up and started scavenging. We all picked up food, drinks, bowls, cups, a few potions and other essentials. We split up what we found and put them into three backpacks, one each for Mithra, Davron and I. Once that task was done we allmade our way to the back of the room too another closed door where Ralof and Hadvar were having a quiet discussion which soon ended on site of /"This is the only way forward, hopefully we will find a exit that the dragon has not blocked off" and with that said Hadvar opened the wooden door./p 


End file.
